


A Good Excuse for Being Late

by BookofOdym



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 16:09:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17186174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookofOdym/pseuds/BookofOdym
Summary: Barry Allen has had a crush on his boss since they met, he just has trouble figuring out that the feeling is mutual.





	A Good Excuse for Being Late

From the moment that Barry had met his boss, he had had something of a crush on the man. Captain Singh was an attractive man, attractive enough for Barry’s jaw to drop the moment that he walked into the room, he had proceeded to give a speech to all of the new recruits, while Barry had been unable to tear his gaze away from his mouth for anything.

Unfortunately, he didn’t think that his new boss had noticed him at all. Well, apart from all the times that Barry had been late to work, which probably wasn’t helping him make a good impression.

“Morning sir,” he had chirped one morning as the man glared at him, he was reasonably sure that Singh wasn’t capable of any facial expression that wasn’t a glare.

“Your report, Allen.” Was his only response, and wait, when had that been due in. It couldn’t have been earlier that week, could it? “On my desk by the end of today.”

So yeah, maybe they didn’t have as good of a relationship as Barry would have liked. Every time there was some kind of development, it would be gone the next day.

He got to work, there had been a new homicide, one that was particularly gory. There had been blood splatters all over the house when he had gone in to collect evidence, it was the kind of thing you got used to after a few months on the job, and he didn’t really feel sick when he saw scenes like that anymore.

He was just running tests when a sudden voice came from the door behind him. “Allen.” Barry almost jumped out of his skin at the sound, realizing it was Singh did not make him feel any better.

“Sir, my report is ready to go, I was just running some tests before I brought it up to you.” That was simple and easy to understand, it should get his boss off his back for a few hours.

“Stop putting it off.” Okay, Singh wasn’t leaving, so Barry picked up the file and deposited it directly into his hands. “Actually, that wasn’t why I came down here.”

“Oh,” Barry said, furrowing his brow in confusion. “ _Oh,_ well, sir, you know it’s gonna take a few hours for all my tests to be done.”

“That wasn’t-” Whatever Singh was going to say, he apparently thought better of it, turning back towards the door. “You’re clearly busy, I’ll leave you to it then.”

Then he was gone, and Barry could get back to work.

_You were rude back there,_ his brain informed him.

_Was I?_ Barry had been trying to be polite, but Singh had rushed out of the room pretty quickly, so maybe Barry had upset him.

_You should apologize,_  Barry's brain chimed in again, _and I will not shut up until you do._

* * *

 

Shakily, Barry picked up his work phone.

Singh settled down at his own desk. That had been a spectacular failure. It was clear to him that it was hypocritical of him to interrupt the man’s work to invite him on a date when he was forever on Barry’s ass about it.

Allen was distressingly oblivious, and Singh would have to go down again after work to try again, but he was certain that if he tried to talk to the man after the workday ended, he’d get a ‘ohsorrysirgottagoigotadatebye’ before he could even open his mouth.

Which was when his office phone rang.

He gripped it, hard, and brought it up to his ear. “Singh.” He said, work voice firmly in place, he had to keep the people working under him on their toes.

“Sir?” The voice was quiet over the phone, but he could tell that it was Allen. The only thing he couldn’t figure out was why the scientist was calling.

“Did you screw up the test?” He barked, it was the first thought that came to mind, if their evidence would get thrown out of court Singh needed to know.

“What? No!” Barry paused for so long that Singh almost snapped at him to hurry up. “I was rude earlier, I wanted to apologize.”

David pinched his thumb and his forefinger over his nose. He had no idea what Barry was even talking about. “When were you rude to me?”

“I chased you out of the lab,” _In what universe does that count as being chased out of the lab?_  “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

Singh thought that Barry was maybe a little too cute for his own good, and wondered if he should voice that assessment, but quickly dismissed the idea. Instead, he said: “Make it up to me?”

Barry must have heard the implication in his voice because he audibly swallowed. “I’ll do anything.”

“Wait for me after work. I have a few ideas.”

* * *

 

Barry was practically vibrating with excitement the entire way home. Singh should probably have told him that what he had in mind didn’t involve sex… at least not yet, but it was also fun to watch Allen’s reactions.

“Okay, I want you in the kitchen, we have work to do,” Singh said, opening the door to the fridge.

The telltale sound of a zipper opening came from behind him.

“No Barry,” he sighed, “get the pasta out of the cupboard for me.”

Singh had done a lot of research, searching for romantic recipes, asking Joe if Barry had any allergies, before deciding on something simple. He put Barry in charge of making sure that the pasta didn’t burn because he wasn’t sure how good of a cook he was yet. Before taking over by searing cheese covered chicken thighs, cooking them in a sauce made from mushrooms, onions, and wine.

Barry watched him cook, his nose wrinkling in apparent confusion. “Wait, is this a date?” He asked, and Singh barely held back a groan. He had thought that it would be obvious by then.

“Do you want it to be a date?” He asked, his voice surprisingly warm, which evidently surprised Barry.

“Well… I thought it was going to be a sex thing, and I was willing to take what I could get,” ( _Clearly,_ Singh thought when he said that,  _because you were willing to get naked the second we entered my place_ ) Barry swallowed, and Singh found himself watching the way his Adam's apple bobbed. “If it’s a date that’s- it's just amazing, but I can’t believe you’d ever be interested in me.”

Singh leaned in to give him a quick kiss. “I wouldn’t have asked you here if I wasn’t interested in you, and I’ve been flirting with you for months, you’re just completely oblivious to everything.”

A grin that wouldn’t leave broke out upon Barry’s face, and he shifted forward to rub their noses together. “So tomorrow… it’s fine if I’m late to work if I’m with you, right?”

“Don’t push your luck, Allen.”


End file.
